Navigating RA3's BIG files

Remus · Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2009 11:03 pm Post subject: Navigating RA3's BIG files

First off, my knowledge of modding is limited to RA1 through YR. I know RA3 has no SDK yet, but I assume it is possible to extract files and examine the inner workings of RA3? If so, could you please help alleviate my confusion.

I viewed Banshee's tutorial (for CnC3) about viewing BIG files as well as various threads and the readme file for JonWil's SDK Extras tools.

1. From looking inside the BIG files for both CnC3 and RA3, I see lots of ".bin" and ".manifest" files among other things. First, I tried extracting a sample manifest file (audio.manifest) to view using JonWil's BinViewer but the program freezes. Am I using it incorrectly? Do I need to do more to the manifest file than just extracting it if I want to view its contents?

2. Second, I read about "apt" files that the game uses and how JonWil's tools can convert between "apt" and "xml." From this, am I correct to assume that "apt" files are like .ini files but need to be converted to "xml" to view/edit? Also, where are many of these "apt" files? Inside bin or manifest files?

Basically, I wanted to find and extract the xml files that define units, structures, and (especially) audio for examination. CnC3's Mod SDK already comes with all these xml files neatly packaged for easy access, but obviously, without an RA3 Mod SDK, the same can't be said for what I'm trying to do.

Any hints regarding the locations of these particular files or any answers to my questions above are greatly appreciated. As of now, I feel like I'm trying to read a foreign language when I look at the CnC3 and RA3 files compared to the good old days of simple mixes, inis, shps and vxls.

ApolloTD · Commander **Joined**: 19 Nov 2003

1. Use jonwil's big extract tool as it will also remove refpack compression while other big unpackers won't (?) and then binview gets stuck on the manifest.

2. I believe apt were just interface files for customizing it and as for ra3 xmls, thats whole reason to need mod sdk with source xml as compiled ones in the game are not kept as text or else we'd more likely be modding the game already.

Banshee · Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2009 12:56 pm Post subject:

1. OS BIG Editor also removes refpack compression, Apollo. The ones that doesn't remove are Final BIG and XCC Mixer.

Remus · Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2009 9:07 pm Post subject:

ApolloTD wrote:

1. Use jonwil's big extract tool as it will also remove refpack compression while other big unpackers won't (?) and then binview gets stuck on the manifest.

I used JonWil's big extract tool to acquire the manifest file I mentioned above as having trouble with. Next, I'll have a go using OS Big Editor since it also removes the compression.

Thanks again for your replies. I guess it's best if I just wait patiently for the SDK since it sounds as if there is one definitely under production. There's no hurry anyway, but I had thought I could get a jumpstart on examining the files I would find myself working with in the future.

inzane krazy · General **Joined**: 07 Nov 2006 **Location**: God

Banshee, isnt there a topic that covers this? (no offense to Remus)

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